Hoddevik

Hoddevik sits in a wide amphitheatre of green slopes on the exposed western side of the Stad peninsula, with a beach of pale sand that faces directly into North Atlantic swell. That combination made it the centre of Norwegian surfing: several camps and schools operate here, renting thick wetsuits and boards and running lessons through the summer, while the serious swell arrives in autumn and winter when the water is around six degrees. The hamlet behind is tiny, a scatter of farms and converted barns used as hostels. The road in drops steeply down the mountainside in tight hairpins with a striking first view over the bay, and there is no shop, so supplies come from Maloy or Selje.

What you actually see

• The sand crescent - a pale beach in a bowl of green slopes.
• The Atlantic swell - waves arriving directly off open ocean.
• The surf camps - schools and hostels in converted farm buildings.
• The hairpin descent - a steep road with a view over the whole bay.

When to go

May to September for lessons, mild weather and midnight-sun evenings; September to April for the largest and most consistent waves, with cold water and short days. Storms can make the beach unusable at any time.

Honest expectations

The water is cold year-round and needs a proper thick wetsuit, hood and boots. Rip currents are present and there is no lifeguard. Accommodation is limited and books far ahead in summer, and the access road is narrow with few passing places.

Nearby

Ervik beach is over the ridge; Vestkapp and Selje are on the same peninsula.